Bring Kenosha Home

4/12/2019 - Trisha Blaine

I love my hometown. Even when my family’s time in the Air Force took us further away, there were always things I would ship from Kenosha to our location or things I would take on the plane to get a taste of home no matter where we were. From my favorite sausages and cheese to bakery bread and even sweet treats, nothing tastes better than hometown food. Now that I live 25 minutes away from Kenosha, transporting some of my favorite Wisconsin items is a whole lot easier, but there are still a few things that I always find I need to have stocked in our house. Here are my person Top 5 Kenosha places and some of the things that I most love to bring home.

Tenuta’s Delicatessen and Liquors
There are many things to love about Tenuta’s – including the heavenly smell that fills the air as you pull into the parking lot. While I am sure many people already know about their extensive wine selection, hand rolled cigars, and delicious homemade foods, the top 3 things on my list are… Frozen Ravioli: Sometimes you just want and need a quick but tasty Italian meal served at your own kitchen table without all the work! Tenuta’s homemade, frozen ravioli come in a variety of flavors and are super easy to prepare.Tenuta’s homemade Italian-style Giardiniera: It truly is the best giardiniera out there and you can add it to any pizza, sandwich or pasta salad. It just makes it, well, BETTER! It’s available in mild or hot, too.Triple Dipped Malted Milk Balls: Listen to me and get bboth milk and dark chocolate! I have yet to taste a better malted milk ball and trust me you cannot eat just one… err five. They have some great chocolates and candies, in addition to their baked goods.

Mars Cheese Castle
I’m always amazed when people who grew up in Kenosha say that they have never been to the Cheese Castle. This is another place that brings back fond childhood memories for me. While the building has changed over the years, the grilled cheese sandwich has not! Now, the grilled cheese has to be eaten there because let’s face it, that would never make it home! So, first on my list of things to bring home is… Cheese: I cannot list off what kind of cheese I bring home because, in all honesty, it changes every time. You can go in and taste the ever-changing varieties available and bring home what suits you best at any given time. A strong suggestion every time, though, FRESH SQUEAKY CHEESE CURDS!! You NEED them.Beer: I live a few minutes south of the Wisconsin boarder in Illinois, where you are unable to obtain this delicious cold brew – a case of Spotted Cow from the popular New Glarus Brewery. There is a great selection of other beer varieties – so whatever flavor my husband is currently in the mood for usually comes home, too.Kringle: For all of the sweet-tooths out there, I didn’t forget you. A Kringle, almond or any fruit variety, would be my choice in the bakery department at Mars! If you’ve never had a kringle, there are usually samples available – you’ll thank me later!

Jelly Belly Visitors Center
Now, I am a mommy of three littles so this is a no brainer. If I’m really being honest , Jelly Belly jelly beans are my TOP candy, too, so I might use those little people as an excuse to visit the candy store. I know you can get this candy in just about any store these days, but sometimes a girl just needs to have a bag of her favorite flavor or a mix I can create all my own. I can (sadly or proudly?) tell you every flavor of bean just by looking, with the exception of the Bean Boozled beans - but I don’t go anywhere near that Tom-foolery. Here are my top 3 picks for Jelly Belly and yes it will all be candy…Jelly Belly jelly beans: I figured this would be obvious because you honestly can’t go wrong with a good jelly bean. Truly, no one makes a better bean than Jelly Belly – just take the tour and watch the video about the care and precision that go into make each bean! Even when they get goofed up like the Belly Flops, they still are a delicious treat. My favorite flavor is Cantaloupe!Fudge: Yes, you can get fresh fudge at Jelly Belly. There are so many flavors to choose from and they are all homemade. I make a mean homemade fudge, but sometimes it’s just better when someone else does it for you - plus less clean up! Go to the candy store and sample any flavor before you buy – winning!Jells coated in candy seeds: This one may be a bit confusing because most people know them by the package found in most stores, Raspberries and Blackberries. At Jelly Belly you can find a variety of flavors. I personally love the Christmas mix which includes Jingle Bell Jells with flavors like green and red apple, raspberry jells, and champagne bubble jells – it’s only available seasonally so I always grab some!

My two other picks for things to bring home only open seasonally. Kenosha HarborMarket and other weekly farmers’ markets are always a must-stop because there isn’t a better place to get a variety fresh produce at a great price! We love exploring markets as a family and cooking fresh foods. Last, but certainly not least, is Jerry Smith’s Produce & Pumpkin Farm is a fall tradition in my family, not just for their amazing pumpkin displays but for their pumpkin farm cookies! There is just something special about those cookies and they always come home with us.

Next time you are in the Kenosha Area, I hope you get to explore my favorite places and find delicious treats to bring home with you.

Trisha Blaine

Community Blogger

Former Kenoshan. Lover of musicals, cooking, nature, travel, reading, and all things Disney. Fulltime wife to an awesome guy, stay-at-home momma to 3 kiddos, and home school teacher extraordinaire.